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It would be a simpler world if Henry Ford ran the paint business-you could have any color you want as long as it was white. Nothing is simple in the modern era, however, so you must choose not just from an overwhelming rainbow of colors but from numerous types of paint. This used to be simple, too. You could buy one of two varieties: gloss or flat. Now, there are all sorts of intermediate degrees of glossiness. We all know "high-gloss" means the paint is very shiny when dry, and "flat" means it has no sheen after it has dried. But what exactly is "semi-gloss?" Like other "semi" words (semi-conscious or even semi-conductor), semi-gloss defines not a precise level of glossiness but a range of glossiness. Although all semi-gloss paints meet the parameters established by the paint industry, some brand's semi-gloss will be duller or glossier than others. The same is also true of all the "low luster" paints that fall between flat and semi-gloss. One brand's "low-lustre" is another brand's "medium gloss" or somebody else's "eggshell" or "satin." To make things even more complicated, there are different monikers for interior and exterior paints. In exterior paints, you pick from gloss, semi-gloss, an intermediate low-gloss that's often called "satin" and flat. In the interior lines, the type of low-sheen paint between semi-gloss and flat is often called "eggshell." So, how do you sort out which type is right for your job? The first step is to weigh three factors: the level of sheen you want, the durability you hope to get and the cost. The glossiness of a paint reflects its hardness and its resistance to moisture as well as its price. The higher the gloss, the higher the durability and the cost. By durability, I mean both the paint's resistance to being scuffed or scratched and its resistance to moisture. High-gloss paints are easy to clean because they form a slick surface that dirt does not adhere to very well. One caveat: a new coat of paint won't stick well, either. You must sand or rough up any glossy surface before you paint over it. Then there's the interior-design considerations. Flat paint absorbs light; gloss paint reflects light. Some people like the clean brightness of glossy paints; others prefer the softer look of flat paint or the almost invisible sheen of "eggshell" or low-lustre paints. Others like to mix it up and paint the walls semi-gloss and the ceiling flat or vice versa. Traditionally, flat paint is used on walls and ceilings and semi-gloss paint is applied on wood doors and trim. Flat paint scuffs easily and does not suffer small children with dirty hands or clumsy adults lightly. Despite claims to the contrary, scuff marks and fingerprints are not easily washed off. The major advantages of flat paint are that it's cheap and easy to paint over-i.e., it doesn't need to be sanded to create a good bond between new and old layers of paint. The sheen of semi-gloss paint makes it easy to clean, so it's often used on woodwork and in bathrooms and kitchens. Its disadvantages are a higher cost and the need to sand it when you repaint. Some people want the durability of semi-gloss but don't want the glossy look. For them, the "low-lustre" or "eggshell" types provide the right combination of improved durability and low-gloss surface. So, how do you decide between an "eggshell" in one brand and a "low lustre" in another? The only way to tell is to apply big patches of various brands and types side by side on a large wall. An architect friend of mine suggests to his clients that they apply a 4-foot square patch to determine the color and sheen; even better, tow patches in different lighting (for instance, one in direct sun, another in shade.) Both the color and the lustre are affected by the shade, tint and sheen of the new paint (light, bright, dull, dark, shiny, flat, etc.) and of the surface you're painting. You'll probably have to apply tow coats when covering a darker color with a lighter one to see the true shade of the sample. Finally, to get an accurate presentation of the paint's true sheen, you need to make sure that the wall you're painting is clean and dry.
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